Apparatus for the electrodeposition of metals



Feb. 15, 1938.

R. H. ADEY APPARATUS FOR THE ELECTRODEPOSITION OF METALS Filed March 26, 1956 5 10 a? 9 a .9 1 4 v. 25 91 PF 33 A M r I 27] Patented at. 15, 1938 V UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR TfiE ELECTRODEPOSI- TION OF METALS Ralph Harold Adey London, England] Application March 26, 1935, Serial No. 711,035

4 Claims.

wherein an electrode formed from the metal to be deposited is traversed upon the surface adapted toreceive the deposit with the intervention of an absorbent pad for holding an appropriate electrolyte, the said electrode and the said surface being electrically connected to the appropriate poles of an electric current supply.

Now, in accordance with the present invention ardevice for use in effecting'the electro-deposition of metal comprises an electrode formed from the metal to .be deposited, an. absorbent pad adapted to come between said electrode and the surface receiving the deposit, a reservoir for an appropriate electrolyte, means for transferring such electrolyte from said reservoir to the said absorbent pad and means for changing the position of delivery of the electrolyte to the pad accordingto whether the device is employed upon a horizontally or vertically disposed surface.

The said means for changing the position of delivery of the electrolyte to the absorbent pad preferably operates automatically .to effect the necessary change according .to whether the de'- vice is employed upon a horizontally or vertically disposed surface. ment of the inventionprovidessuch an auto.- matically operating means for changing the position of deliveryof the electrolyte to vthe absorbent pad by incorporating a gravity operated valve.

In order that the invention can be fully appreciated, two examples ofdevices constructed in accordance therewith will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:-

40 Figs. 1 and 2 show respectively an. elevation partly in section and a plan view of a preferred embodiment of, the invention for use in efiecting the electro-deposition of metal uponv fiat surfaces, and i I Fig. 3 is an elevational'view of a further em bodiment of the invention for use in efiecting v the electro-deposition of metal upon curved surfaces. Y

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the reference numeral t indicates a container adapted to constitute a reservoir for electrolyte, this container having a bottom wall 5 and a filling aperture "closable by a cap 6. One end portion of the bottom wall 5 is recessed to provide a well i in 5b which is disposed the cylinder 8 of a pump mech- One preferred embodi- (Ci. 2ll45) anism. A piston 9 provided in the cylinder 8 is adapted to be reciprocated by means of the rod iii, bell-crank lever ill and push rod l2, the latter being provided with a knob i3 for convenience of operation by the thumb of the hand of the user of the device which is adapted to grip the'handle it. ,Said handle I4 is hollow and encloses a spring l5 which co-operates with the push rodi2 and functions to cause the descent of the piston 9 after said piston hasbeen raised by the manual cperation of the push. rod I2. Such operation 0 the pump mechanism is adapted to draw electrolyte from the container 4 through .the inlet opening it to the cylinder 8 and force it throughthe conduit I! to the. port I 8 of a valve box I'il'disposed beneath the bottom wall 5.

This valve box also includes ports 20 and 2| which communicate with conduits 22 and 23 respectively, whilst within the said box is disposed a loose ,ball 24 which constitutes a valve member adapted to co-operate with seatings provided in the ports 20 and 2! as will be clearly evident from the drawing.

Below the'valve box it and cylinder 8 there is provided a perforated base member 25 against which is held, in a removable manner, by means of spring clips 26, a pair of absorbent pads 21 and 28 between which is accommodated an electrode it formed from the metal it is desired to deposit.- This electrode 2a is perforated and at one end is formed with an extension 30 for engaging with a spring blade M in electrical connection with a socket 32 by which the said electrode can be coupled to one pole of an electric current supply. The absorbent .pad la is adapted to be brought intocontact with the surface receiving the'deposit and to be maintained saturated with electrolyte whether the device is employed upon a l'iorizon-tallydisposedsurface (position shown in drawing), or a vertically disposed surface, in which latter case the left hand portion of the device shown on the drawing would be uppermost.

To assure a satisfactory distribution of the electrolyte over the entire area of the pad 28 when the device is employed on a horizontally disposed surface, the conduit 22 delivers electrolyte to the center portion of the perforated base 25 after which it passes through the apertures therein to the pad 2?, and subsequently through the apertures 'in the'electrode 29 to the pad 2%. It should be observed that when the. device is in position upon a horizontally disposed surface the ball 2 5i closes the port 2i, whilst the port 20 remains open and permits the flow of electrolyte from the conduit I i tothe conduit 22 when the pump is manipulated.

To assure a satisfactory distribution of the electrolyte to the pad 28 when the device is employed upon a vertically disposed surface the conduit 23 is extended as shown in the drawing to deliver the electrolyte through an aperture 33 provided in the pad 21 and electrode 29 directly to the end portion of the pad 28, from whence it will'percolate over the entire area of the pad. When the device is in position upon a vertically disposed surface the ball 26 will close the port 20, the port 2| being then open to permit a flow of electrolyte from the conduit H to the conduit 23.

It will be readily understood that upon changing the device from the horizontal position to the "vertical position or vice ,versa, the ball 24 moves, as a result of gravitational force, from one to the other of the two ports 20 and 2|, the position of delivery of the electrolyte to the pad being thus automatically changed according to whether the device is employed -.upon a horizontally or vertically disposed surface.

The device shown in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawing is. in general similar to that hereinbefore more particularly describedWith reference to Figs. 1 and '2, but in this case the electrode 34 formed from the metal it is desired to deposit and" the,.as'sociated absorbent pad 35 are of curved formation, the curvature being chosen in accordangewith the curvature of the surface upon which it is desired to deposit the metal, for example the curved surface of mill rollers or the like.

Further, in this particular example various parts of the pump operating mechanism are enclosed within a casing 36 which is formed as an extension of the handle 31 of the device.

It will be appreciated that the invention is not I limited to the particular examples hereinbefore more particularly described and that various embodiments of the invention are possible to meet particular requirements without departing from the spirit thereof.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America is:-

1. A device for use in effecting the electrodeposition of metal comprising as a unitary structure, an electrode formed from the metal to be deposited, an absorbent pad adapted to come between said electrode and the surface receiving the deposit, a reservoir for an appropriate electrolyte on which reservoir said pad and said electrode are mounted, a pair of conduits having delivery openings situated at different positions with' respect to the absorbent pad,

manually operable pump means integral with said reservoir for transferring the electrolyte from the reservoir through said conduits to the absorbent pad and a gravity operable valve capable of occupyingeithe'r one of two different positions for rendering inoperative either one or the other of said pair of conduits, accordingly as the device is held in one position or another.

2. A device for use in effecting the electrodeposition of metal comprising as a unitary structure an electrode formed from the metal to be deposited, an absorbent pad adapted to come be,- tween said electrode and the surface receiving the deposit, a reservoir for an appropriate electrolyte on which reservoir said pad and said electrode are mounted, an integrally arranged manually operable pump for withdrawing electrolyte from said reservoir, avalve box, a conduit for conducting electrolyte from the said pump to said valve box, a pair 'of conduits leading from said valve box to different positions with respect to the absorbent pad and a loose ball member in said valve box for automatically rendering inoperative either oneor the other of said pair of conduits, accordingly as the device is held in one position or another. 1

3. A device for use in effecting the electrodeposition of metal as claimed in claim. 1 including a handle for traversing the electrode and its associated absorbent pad upon the surface adapted to receive the deposit and manually operable means incorporated in said handle and mechanically coupled to the pump means to actuate the same.

4. A device for usein effecting the electrodeposition of metal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electrode formed from the metal it is desired to deposit and its associated absorbent pad are of curved formation.

RALPH HAROLD ADEY. 

